While pizza purists might insist on a 24-hour rise to achieve dough nirvana, that isn’t always possible for busy people crunched for time. One of our best pizza dough recipes only needs roughly ten minutes to rise.
Through every tip, trick, and recipe, our mission is to save you time in the kitchen, because we know how busy life can be! Every moment matters, and we want you to spend more moments with the people you love.
Finding the Perfect Rise Time for Your Pizza Dough
There’s a noticeable difference in flavor and texture based on the amount of time you give your dough to rise. A ten-minute dough can still be delicious, but dough left for hours will likely taste even better.
If you have time to prep your dough beforehand, the yeast has more time to ferment, produce carbon dioxide, and ultimately yields an amazingly airy crust with amazing texture. This same process also contributes to the overall quality and complex flavors of the dough.
It’s important to note that too little rise time may result in a dense, tough crust. Too much time can lead to an overly airy or sour taste. This is why getting the rise time correctly is so important to achieving the perfect balance of texture and flavor in your homemade pizza crust.
Mastering Dough Rise: Signs Your Pizza Dough is Primed for Perfection
Just as learning how to knead dough is an acquired skill, perfecting pizza dough rise time can be, too. To know when your dough is ready to use, you can look for a few visual cues.
When your dough looks done, it should have nearly doubled or tripled in size. A good dough structure should feel smooth and elastic, often with small bubbles on the dough.
Your dough should also have a smooth surface without large air pockets, and may smell slightly yeasty. To check the pizza dough texture, you can use the finger poke test. Simply poke the dough with your finger and note if the finger indentation springs back immediately. If it does, you are ready for the next step in your pizza-making process!
Making and Freezing Pizza Dough for Easy Pizza Nights
For the best pizza night possible, preparation is key. Preparing pizza dough only takes ten minutes or so, and the rest of the time can be dedicated to letting it sit and rise.
To really prepare ahead of time, consider making extra dough and freezing it for the next pizza night. You can store homemade pizza dough in the freezer for three to six months. When you’re ready to use it, pull it from the freezer and let it thaw either in the fridge overnight or in cold water for thirty minutes.
Whichever you choose, you’ll be thrilled to have pre-made dough for those packed days when you aren’t sure what to make or don’t have much time to decide. Cooking should be simple, exciting, and approachable–not overwhelming! Whether you have ten minutes to spend in the kitchen or a couple of hours, our recipes cater to all.
Sources:
Food Safety and Inspection Service (no date) Freezing and Food Safety | Food Safety and Inspection Service.
